Comparison of the effectiveness of different devices for delivery of aerosol treatment*
| Patients and clinical setting | Comparison | Number of trials (n) | Outcome | Weighted mean difference (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *ED = emergency department; ICU = intensive care unit; MDI = metered dose inhaler; DPI = dry powder inhaler; FEV1 = forced expiratory volume in 1 second. CI defined in glossary. | ||||
| †All but 1 of the trials were clinical laboratory trials. | ||||
| Adults and children in the ED or ICU | Nebuliser v MDI + spacer/holding chamber for short acting β2 agonists | 9 (510) | FEV1 | 0.13 (−0.04 to 0.31) |
| 11 (708) | Symptom scores | 0.01 (−0.32 to 0.34) | ||
| Adults in the ED/ICU | Continuous v intermittent nebulisation for short acting β2 agonists | 3 (137) | FEV1 | 0.07 (−0.63 to 0.77) |
| Adult and child inpatients | Nebuliser v MDI + spacer/holding chamber for short acting β2 agonists | 3 (102) | FEV1 | 0.05 (−0.34 to 0.44) |
| 2 (91) | Symptom scores | −0.04 (−0.46 to 0.37) | ||
| Adult outpatients | DPI v MDI + spacer/holding chamber for corticosteroids† | 2 (44) | FEV1 | 0.09 (−0.33 to 0.51) |
| 4 (257) | Symptom scores | 0.08 (−0.47 to 0.62) | ||